Pittsburgh Steelers, Huntington National Bank
Donate $5,000 Each to BWEF

This past fall, the Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation received two separate $5,000 donations to support multiple educational improvement initiatives throughout the Baldwin-Whitehall School District.

On Nov. 2, BWEF received a $5,000 donation from Huntington National Bank through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program [EITC]. The gift will be used to support BWEF's faculty innovation grants initiatives and special projects. Through the EITC program, businesses can reduce their tax burdens through donations to the foundation. We'd like to thank Huntington National Bank for their support.

On Nov. 8, the Pittsburgh Steelers and United States Steel Corporation jointly honored U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Rear Admiral Susan Orsega (BHS '86) with a $5,000 directed donation to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] activities at Baldwin High School. Thank you, Rear Admiral Orsega, for your service, and thank you to the Pittsburgh Steelers and U.S. Steel for their generosity.
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Rear Admiral Susan Orsega and family. Nov. 8, 2021
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Huntington National Bank

Scholarship Application Period Opening Soon

BWEF will begin accepting applications for 2022 scholarships very soon. We are pleased to award the following scholarships this year:
Criterion varies per scholarship so be sure to check each page for specific requirements. All applications are reviewed by an independent committee and recipients are recognized during seniors awards night in June.

Spreading Holiday Cheer!


BWEF distributed Sarris candies to all faculty and staff throughout the Baldwin-Whitehall School District last week. One random faculty member per school received a specially marked bar and won a $50 Amazon gift card. Congratulations to our winners:

  • Rachel Neil, Baldwin High School
  • Rachel Johnson, Baldwin Middle School
  • Jeffrey Besong, McAnnulty Elementary School
  • Gregory Peck, Harrison Education Center
  • Staci Zemaitis, Whitehall Elementary School

Happy holidays from BWEF!

Faculty Innovation Grant: Book Vending Machine

In October, BWEF approved a faculty innovation grant submitted by STEAM/Media specialist Kristy Frohliger to support the purchase and installation of the Inchy Bookworm Book Vending Machine at Whitehall Elementary School.

"As a librarian, finding fun ways to encourage reading is always top of mind," Frohliger said. "Baldwin-Whitehall School District will be one of the first districts in our area to have a book vending machine. When students see the machine for the first time, their enthusiasm will energize the entire staff."

How it works: As part of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program, the book vending machine incentivizes students to make kind, positive choices in order to receive a gold coin, that can be redeemed for a book through the machine. "This machine will most definitely have a positive impact on our students' behaviors and reading levels," Frohliger said.

The project raised approximately $1,700 through individual donations at DonorsChoose.com, an online platform for crowdsourcing special education projects and initiatives. BWEF contributed nearly $2,000 to the project and was matched at 100% by the Dollar General Literacy Fund to reach the full $5,000 needed to complete the purchase.

To welcome the vending machine to the district, BWEF is hosting a student artwork contest to create a custom decoration for the sides of the machine. Nearly three dozen submissions were received and we will announce the winning artist(s) very soon!

BWEF School Ambassadors

We are pleased to introduce the inaugural group of BWEF School Ambassadors. School ambassadors are district faculty who have volunteered to support the foundation during the 2021-22 school year by serving as communication liaisons between BWEF and the district's schools. They will help create new pathways for engagement between the foundation and the faculty, students, and staff that we serve. Ambassadors will be regular participants at BWEF meetings, fundraisers, and contribute to the next iteration of our strategic plan. Thank you, ambassadors, for supporting BWEF and the Baldwin-Whitehall School District in this role.
  • Brigetta Del Re, Library Media Specialist, Baldwin High School
  • Kristy Frohliger, STEAM/Media Specialist, Whitehall/McAnnulty Elementary Schools
  • Daniel Harrold, English Teacher, Baldwin High School
  • Kristen Knorr, Fifth Grade Teacher, Harrison Education Center
  • Jessica Seidl, STEAM/Media Specialist, Harrison Education Center
  • Angela Siler, Third Grade Teacher, Whitehall Elementary School

Pathways to Support BWEF

There are a variety of ways to support the Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation. Whether you want to become a community partner, establish an endowment fund, attend/host a fundraiser, or join the foundation as a member, we are always looking for ways to expand our network and our impact.
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The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports
innovation and excellence in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District.